Two Ocean County residents charged with running illegal drug facility

Two Ocean County residents are brought up on charges for their alleged roles in a heroin and fentanyl pill manufacturing facility in the northern part of the county that was shut down by the Prosecutors Office, announced Bradley Billhimer.

H.J. Zaker Sindel, 26, of Brick Township and Mary C. Mazzi, 38, of Berkeley Township face various drug and weapons offenses for running the facility and making and selling pills such as Oxycodone and Xanax which was laced with heroin and fentanyl.

An investigation revealed that pills were being illegally manufactured and sold as prescription pain medications, such as Oxycodone and Alprazolam "Xanax", and were suspected to contain heroin and fentanyl.

The Ocean County Sheriff's Department Criminal Investigations Unit Lab confirmed that the pills did in fact contain heroin and fentanyl.

Sindel was charged with 1st Degree Maintaining a CDS Production Facility, 2nd Degree Possession of a firearm during the commission of a CDS Offense, 2nd Degree Possession of a firearm while being a "Certain Persons" to not possess firearm, 2nd Degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Over one-half ounce of Heroin/Fentanyl, 3rd Degree Possession of Heroin/Fentanyl, 3rd Degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Over one ounce of Marijuana, 4th Degree Possession of over Fifty Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Disorderly Persons Offense).

Mazzi was charged with 1st Degree Maintaining a CDS Production Facility, 2nd Degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Over one half ounce of Heroin/Fentanyl and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Disorderly Persons Offense).

"Members of our office along with the Brick and Berkeley Police Departments and the Ocean County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit executed search warrants on Monday November 26 at 10 Nancy Drive, Brick Township and at 183 Freeport Boulevard, Berkeley Township. During the execution of the search warrants, a second-degree quantity of suspected heroin/fentanyl, three handguns, and manufacturing equipment/paraphernalia were located and seized by Detectives," Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billheimer said. "As a result of the investigation and search warrants, both Sindel and Mazzi were arrested, charged, and subsequently transported to the Ocean County Jail where they were housed pending their Detention Hearings."